Ladder attachment.



F. L. TOUPAL.

LADDER ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEZS. 1915.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

ATTORNEYS WITNESSES:

FRANK L. TOUPAL, or CHICAGO HEIGHTS, ILLINoIs.

LADDER ATTACHMENT,

Specification of Letters Patent.

I Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

Application filed June 25, 1915. Serial No. 36,216.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. ToUrAL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago Heights, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented an Improvement in Ladder Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement in ladder attachments and has particular reference to a device carried thereby and adapted to engage a wall or other support toretain the ladder in position.

An object of this invention is to provide a device of this character which will not materially damage the support against which the ladder is leaning and whlch, at

the same time, will effectively prevent slip-- ping of the ladder while in use.

Another object is the provision of a suitable fastening device having shields or guards therefor which prevent engagement of said devices with av support when only the weight of the ladder is bearing thereagamst.

A further object is the provision of a ladder attachment of this nature which is eX- tremely simple in construction and therefore inexpensive to manufacture, and which is durable and effective in use. The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expres sions, some of which, for the purpose of illustrating the invention, are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of a ladder showing the preferred form of attachment secured thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the attachment showing the same in the position assumed before the fastening devices have engaged the support. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the fastening devices in engagement with the support. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4 showing a slightly modified form of the invention.

' Referring to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1 to't the numeral 10 indicates generally a ladder of any preferred construction having the usual side members 11. Fastening devices 12 are mounted in the upper ends of the side members of the ladder and include headed prongs having their ends sharpened as indicated at 13 and being provided adjacent their sharpened ends with screw threads 14 adapted to receive a locking nut 15 thereon. A washer.

16 is interposed between. the nut and the adjacent edge of the cross brace 11.

A guard or shield generally indicated by 17 is provided for each of thefastening devices 12 and comprises a flat strip of resilient metal bent into the form of a loop eX- tending longitudinally and having ends secured to opposite edges of the side member 11 by means of bolts 18. Each guard 17 is provided with a curved portion 19 normally spaced a sufficient distance from the adjacent edge of the side'member 11 to inclose the pointed end 13 of the fastening devices, as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. The curved portion 19 is provided with an opening 20 in alinement with the'prong 12 adapted to receive the pointed end 13 thereof when sufficient pressure is exerted against the upper end of the ladder to overcome the resistance of the guard, thereby causing said pointed endsto engage the support against which the ladder is rested.

It is to beunderstood that the guards 17 are made of metal of such resilience and consequent resistance that the weight of the ladder is insufficient to cause the fastening devices to engage with the support. However, when a person climbs upon the ladder the upper end thereof is forced inwardlyand overcomes the resistance of the guards 17 thereby causing the pointed ends of the fastening devices to project through the openings 20 and engage the support, as

the guard 19 has only one end thereof se-,

cured to the side member, the other end being free and adjacent the end of said memher. In other words, the strip of metal comprising the guard is made shorter so as to economize in the use of the material. These guards illustrated in Fig. 5 may be used in connection with ladders of smaller size.

I claim 1. A ladder comprising means mounted in the side members thereof for anchoring the same to a support, and guard devices for said means each including an elongated strip of metal secured at one end to the side member and bowed adjacent said means whereby to normally space the same from said side member and withhold said means from engagement With the support 2. A ladder attachment comprising fastelling devices mounted in the side members of the ladder adjacent the top thereof, and a guard for each device including a flat strip of metal extending longitudinally of the side member and having one end secured thereto, said guard being normally spaced 10 from the side member adjacent the fastening device whereby the ladder is normally held out of engagement with a support.

FRANK L. TOUPAL.

Gapies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

